Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, former Senate President, Bukola Saraki, former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, and all 17 governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were conspicuously absent at the first meeting of the party’s National Executive Committee after the 2019 elections.

There was also a mild drama at the first post-election NEC of the party as a former Governor of Niger State, Babangida Aliyu decried the penchant of the party leadership to always fix party meetings on National Economic Council meeting day.

This comes as the meeting, though an emergency one recorded a poor attendance.

The Governors were said to be at the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting presided by the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa.

The absence, however, of the other party leaders could not be explained as of press time.

The drama started when Aliyu was called to give the opening prayer for the meeting.

Obviously not happy at the delay, the former governor, in his prayer asked God to help the party leadership “not to always fix meetings only during national economic council meeting days.”

While the prayer caused a mild laughter, Secondus in his response apologised for the delay, noting that the governors had agreed to be at the meeting by 2pm, believing that the economic meeting at the Villa would have ended.

He said: “I believe that God has answered the prayers of the Chief servant of Niger. It is not in our character to keep leaders of our party waiting.”

Speaking at the meeting, Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Walid Jibrin said they were optimistic that the PDP will return to rule Nigeria again, stressing that they still have confidence in the judiciary ahead of the final judgement on the party’s petition at election tribunal.

He assured the PDP NEC that the BoT will work with all organs of the party to make it loved by all members, challenging the party faithful to be loyal to the party, stressing, “we shall ensure that disciple play an important role in the party.”